Manchester United to spend £60 million on their No.1 summer target

Reports in England suggest that Premier League giants Manchester United have made Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang their No.1 transfer target for the summer and are prepared to part with £60 million to bring the African striker to Old Trafford.

Louis van Gaal has experimented with several players in the striker’s position but his squad arguably lacks a 20-goal-a-season striker. Captain Wayne Rooney and summer signing Anthony Martial have seven goals each in the Premier League, but that number pales in comparison to the Premier League’s top scorers. Even Diego Costa has hit double figures despite Chelsea’s poor run of form.

Perhaps to rectify this, Manchester United have reportedly made Borussia Dortmund star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang their top target for the summer window. According to England’s Daily Mirror, the Red Devils are not afraid to meet the German club’s asking price, and are prepared to shell out £60 million to get their man. The Gabon striker will be tempted with a £200,000-a-week wage slip and the report claims that United have already made contact with the striker’s representatives.

Arsenal FC were also reported to be interested in the 26-year-old, but were put off by Dortmund’s demands. Aubameyang has been prolific for Thomas Tuchel’s side this season, netting 20 times in the Bundesliga in 20 appearances.

1) Exclusive: Manchester United preparing £60m move for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyanghttps://t.co/Mb5Zqx34Au pic.twitter.com/hGN1oGnHbK

— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) February 15, 2016

Aubameyang goalscoring record up there with the best in Europe

Although Aubameyang may not be at the level of the elite strikers in the world like Luis Suárez and Robert Lewandowski, his goal-scoring record compares favourably with Europe’s top strikers. The Dortmund star has been scoring at a rate of one goal per game in the league this season, a feat matched by Suárez and bettered only by Lewandwoski and Zlatan Ibrahimović of the players to have scored at least 15 goals in Europe’s top 5 leagues.

Manchester United would certainly benefit from the presence of a fast striker with great finishing ability, and if executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward is able to secure the signing of Aubameyang, few Red Devils supporters would worry too much about the transfer fee.